Colocasia plant named ‘Hilo Bay’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Colocasia  plant named ‘HILO BAY’ that is characterized by a combination of large, glossy olive green colored, slightly ovate leaves that are ruffled or corrugated in texture and has an undulating leaf margin, dark purple petioles, and produces multiple secondary lateral shoots that are attached to the mother plant on short stolons. In combination these characteristics distinguish ‘HILO BAY’ from all other varieties of  Colocasia  known to the inventor.

Genus: Colocasia.

Species: esculenta.

Denomination: ‘HILO BAY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Colocasiacommonly known as the taro plant or elephant ears. Colocasia is grown asa food crop or for use as an ornamental for container or the landscape.The new cultivar is known botanically as Colocasia esculenta and will bereferred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘HILO BAY’. ‘HILO BAY’ isone of is one of five co-pending applications by the inventor relatingto new cultivars of Colocasia. The other four co-pending applicationsare titled ‘Hawaiian Eye’ Plant application Ser. No. 12/006,580, ‘BlueHawaii’ Plant application Ser. No. 12/006,576, ‘Diamond Head’ Plantapplication Ser. No. 12/006,579, and ‘Pineapple Princess’ Plantapplication Ser. No. 12/006,581.

Colocasia is a tuberous rooted perennial which is native to tropicalAsia and Polynesia. It grows to 1.5-2 m in height from starchy tubers.The leaves of Colocasia are heart-shaped and very large in size. Thetuberous roots are cooked and eaten as a starchy staple in many tropicalareas. It is also grown as ornamental plants for the landscape in warmerclimates or as a container plant in colder areas.

The new Colocasia variety named ‘HILO BAY’ is the product of a formalbreeding program at Hawaii, Kula. The purpose of the breeding programwas to develop new commercial varieties by combining attributes notfound in currently commercially available varieties.

‘HILO BAY’ is a seedling selection from the controlled pollinationbetween the female parent ‘2000-110’ (unpatented) and male parent‘2000-177’ (unpatented). The female parent ‘2000-110’ was selected fromthe progeny of a genetic cross between breeding hybrid line ‘(T×NW21)’(unpatented) and breeding hybrid line ‘T12’ (unpatented). The maleparent ‘2000-177’ was selected from a genetic cross between Colocasia‘Putih’ (unpatented) and Colocasia ‘PH21’ (unpatented). Initiallydesignated as ‘2005-5’, ‘HILO BAY’ was derived from a single plantselected in 2005.

The new variety ‘HILO BAY’ has very large glossy olive green slightlyovate leaves that are ruffled or corrugated in texture with undulatingleaf margins and with a light purple vertical vein. ‘HILO BAY’ producesuniform dark purple petioles. The leaves are similar in size compared toits male parent and 2 to 3 times larger than its female parent The maleparent, ‘2000-177’, exhibits a smaller glossy green leaves withirregular purple blotches with a smooth margin. The petioles are a lightgreen to a light purple color with dark purple streaks. The femaleparent, ‘2000-110’ exhibits smaller green leaves with a purple spot onthe upper leaf surface at the point of leaf and petiole attachment and asmooth margin. The petioles are of a light green color. In theseaspects, this new variety differs from its parents.

The closest comparison variety known to the inventor is ‘Fontanesii’(unpatented), its closest commercial variety. HILO BAY produces glossyolive green leaves that are ruffled or corrugated in texture and hasundulating leaf margin compared to ‘Fontanesii’ which exhibits a glossygreen smooth leaf with a smooth margin. ‘HILO BAY’ produces uniform darkpurple petioles similar in color compared with ‘Fontanesii’. ‘HILO BAY’produces secondary lateral shoots that are attached to the mother planton short stolons as compared with ‘Fontanesii’ that produces secondarylateral shoots on long stolons.

Asexual propagation of hulis of ‘HILO BAY’ began in 2005 in Hawaii bythe inventor using huli propagation whereby the apical shoots areseparated from the plant by cutting the shoot at the top of the cormimmediately above the newest leaf scar and planted. Evaluation in fieldand pot studies have shown the unique features of ‘HILO BAY’ to bestable, uniform, and reproduces true to type in successive generationsof asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thedistinguishing characteristics of the new Colocasia variety named ‘HILOBAY’. In combination these traits set ‘HILO BAY’ apart from all othervarieties of Colocasia known to the inventor. ‘HILO BAY’ has not beentested under all possible conditions and phenotypic differences may beobserved with variations in environmental, climatic and culturalconditions, however, without any variance in genotype:

-   -   1. ‘HILO BAY’ exhibits large slightly ovate leaves that are        ruffled or corrugated in texture and has an undulating leaf        margin.    -   2. The leaves of ‘HILO BAY’ are olive green in color with a        light purple vertical vein.    -   3. The surface of the leaves of ‘HILO BAY’ is glossy.    -   4. ‘HILO BAY’ has dark purple petioles.    -   5. ‘HILO BAY’ produces secondary lateral shoots that are        attached to the mother plant on short stolons.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color drawings FIGS. 1 to 6 illustrate the overallappearance of ‘HILO BAY’ showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thedrawing may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanicaldescription, which accurately describe the actual colors of the newvariety ‘HILO BAY’.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 1 shows ‘HILO BAY’ grown from a huli afterapproximately 3 months.

The drawing labeled FIG. 2 illustrates purple colored petioles of ‘HILOBAY’.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 3 illustrates the ovate ‘HILO BAY’ matureleaf blade whose lamina is a glossy olive green.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 4 shows the underside of a mature leaf of‘HILO BAY’ with the green lamina and slightly purple venation.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 5 shows spathe or sheath that encloses thespadix of ‘HILO BAY’ (drawing is sideways to accommodate page size).

The drawing labeled as FIG. 6 shows the inflorescence or spadix of ‘HILOBAY’ (drawing is sideways to accommodate page size).

All drawings have been made from plants which were approximately 5months old from a division and which have been grown out-of-doors. Nogrowth regulators have been applied.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of the new Colocasia plant named‘HILO BAY’. Data was collected from plants that were 3-6 months of agegrown outside in Kula, Hi. as indicated. The color determinations are inaccordance with the 2001 edition of The Royal Horticultural SocietyColour Chart, London, England, except where general color terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The growing requirements aresimilar to other Colocasia.

-   Botanical classification:    -   -   Genus.—Colocasia.        -   Species.—esculenta.-   Denomination: ‘HILO BAY’.-   Common name: Taro or elephant ears.-   Plant use: Food, container or landscape plant.-   Cultural requirements: Cultural requirements are well draining soil    or growing media, full sun to partial shade.-   Root system: Fibrous.-   Plant vigor: Vigorous.-   Plant growth rate: Rapid. At temperatures above 20 Celsius, a new    leaf develops and is fully expanded every 10 days.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—‘2000-110’.        -   Male parent.—‘2000-177’.-   Plant description: The plant has 9-to 11 suckers attached to the    mother plant on short stolons. A “mother plant” is the plant    material which is first introduced into the soil to begin    production. Typically, this plant material contains part of the huli    and 2-3 leaf blades. This produces a “mother corm” which produces    lateral shoots called ‘cormels’ which give rise to daughter plants.    Daughter plants begin to appear above soil level about 2-3 months    after planting of the mother plant.-   Plant dimensions: 100 cm to 110 cm in height and 112 cm to 142 cm in    width.-   Plant hardiness: USDA Zone 7.-   Propagation: Propagation is accomplished by huli propagation.-   Time to develop daughter plants: Appear above soil around 2-3 months    after planting.-   Crop time: 1.5 to 2.5 months.-   Pest or disease susceptibility and resistance: No more or less    susceptible to disease or pests than other cultivars.-   Foliage:    -   -   Number.—On average, a 4-10 month old mother plant maintains            6-7 functional leaves at a time, each new leaf is produced            approximately every 10 days until the corm matures.        -   Petioles.—Length: Up to 117 cm in length. Width: 11 mm (just            below attachment to lamina)×22 mm (at the upper sinus)×35 mm            (at the middle of the sinus). Color: N186C. Sap color:            Colorless.        -   Leaf.—Dimensions at maturity (5-6 months old): 61 cm in            length and 38 cm in width. Aspect: Erect with apex down.            Shape: Sagittate, slightly ovate lamina. Margins: Entire,            undulating. Apex: Pointed. Base: Peltate. Lamina appendages:            Absent. Attachment: Piko, small in size, colored N186D. Leaf            sheaf: Open. Texture (adaxial surface): Smooth, appears            glossy and gently folded. Texture (abaxial surface): Smooth,            appears matte with many fold lines. Leaf color (adaxial            surface): 147A when young changing to 186B when older. Leaf            color (abaxial surface): 148A. Venation: Palmate. Veins:            Three principal veins radiating from the piko. The largest a            midrib extending from the piko to the tip of the lamina with            up to 11 pairs of secondary veins radiating from it. Vein            color (adaxial surface): N186D. Vein color (abaxial            surface): N186D.-   Flowers and reproductive organs: The inflorescence arises from the    leaf axils. The inflorescence is made up of a short peduncle, a    spadix, and spathe. The spadix is botanically a spike, with a fleshy    central axis to which the small sessile flowers are attached. The    spadix is 115 mm to 125 mm long, with female flowers at the base,    male flowers towards the tip, and sterile flowers in between, in the    region compressed by the neck of the spathe. The extreme tip or    appendage of the spadix has no flowers at all. The spathe is a large    yellowish bract, 250 mm to 260 mm long, which sheathes the spadix.    The lower part of the spathe is purple (N186C) in color and wraps    tightly around the spadix and completely occludes the female flowers    from view. The top portion of the spathe is yellow (13C) in color    and is rolled inward at the apex, but is open on one side to reveal    the male flowers on the spadix. The top and bottom portions of the    spadix are separated by a narrow neck region, corresponding to the    region of the sterile flowers on the spadix.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Colocasia plant named ‘HILO BAY’ asdescribed and illustrated herein.